Jerry Rawlings

Jerry John Rawlings (22 June 1947-) was the head of state of Ghana from 4 June to 24 September 1979 (succeeding Fred Akuffo and preceding Hilla Limann) and from 31 December 1981 to 7 January 1993 (preceding Limann), as well as President of Ghana from 7 January 1993 to 7 January 2001 (preceding John Agyekum Kufuor). He seized power in coups in 1979 and 1981, and he founded the National Democratic Congress of Ghana.

Biography
Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra, Gold Coast in 1947, and he attended Achimota College and Teshie Military College. He then trained as a jet pilot but, shocked by corruption among senior military officers, he plotted with thirteen other young officers, and in May 1979 led an abortive coup to overthrow the military government. Released from prison after a further coup on 4 June 1979, he became chairman of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, which in effect controlled the country. In a widespread purge against corruption, several army officers, including the three former heads of state, were executed. After four months, he handed over power to a civilian President, Hilla Limann. In December 1981 he re-established himself as Chairman of the Provisional National Defense Council of Ghana. His original popularity, achieved by his stance against corruption, was eroded owing to his policies of economic liberalization and privatization, which caused widespread poverty and unemployment. This forced him to reintroduce a democratic constitution, and in a general election in 1993 he was confirmed President. He left office in 2001 after serving his full two terms, and he went on to serve as an African Union envoy to Somalia.